The Fatal Prophesy.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2087, 1 July 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Fatal Prophesy.

Cazotte, who passed for a sort of prophet, was present, some years before the revolution broke out, at a ball given by Madame Vaudreuil, one of the nobility. Every one was merry except Cazotte. Seated alone in a corner, he was sod, motionless and silent. The dancers surrounding the old man, inquired,— “ What's the matter with (you, Cazotte 7 What do vou see !” “ Alasr replied he, “ do not ask me what 1 see.

“ They are then very ead things V’ “ Yes, they are melancholy events." “ Shall we take part in them T" “ Yes, they will drag you with them." “ I ?" cried Madame de Montmorency. “ Yes, you." "1 also I" repeated Madame de Ghabot. “ You too." “And I alsot" cried Madame de Chcvreuse. “ Yes, you too." “What's going to happen to us then?” cried the three ladies at the same time." “ Do not ask me about if," said Cazotte. “ But we want to know." “ I see,” said Cazotte, “ a prison, a cart, a large square(that was the Place de la Concorde, where nearly all tbc executions took place during the Revolution ;) “ and a strange machine, which resembles a scaffold?" “But this prison, this cart, this machine, are not for us?" “Yes," replied Cazotte, “they are for you." “ The scaffold for us I" “ Yes, it’s for you.” “You’re mad, Cazotte I"

“ I wish I were 1” Then we are going to die by the bands of the executioner ‘'Year

The ladies shuddered. However improbable such a prophecy was, it was none the less frightful on that account Madame de Polignac approached, “ But about the king 1" said she. Cazotte shook bis head with a painfully fixed expression. “ The king also," said he. “ But the queen 1" repeated Madams d» Polignac. " The queen, too," replied Cazotte. •• Oh!" said Madame de Montmorency, “ you have spoken of a cart, my dear Monsieur Cazotte, bat they'll permit us to ride to the scaffold in a carriage, won't they ?" “ The king,** said he, “ will be the last one to whom this favor will be granted.” Everyb'dy shuddered, “But what’s going 'to happen to you?” they inquired. “ If" said he, trembling. “I f" “ Yes, you."

He was silent for k moment. “ I," said he, “ ant like the man of whom the historian Josephus speaks, who walked around the wall of the city crying, ‘ Woe to Jerusalem 1’ He walked [around the city three days, repeating the tame words. But the fourth day instead of crying ‘Woe to Jerusalem I 1 he cried, 1 Woe to myself I’ At that moment a stone, thrown by a machine, struck and killed him." And with a sigh Cazotte took bis hat and cane and went out.

Me afterwards cut his throat to escape the guillotine.